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Interview: Guly Do Prado

Over the past Summer, Southampton Football Club has experienced so many different feelings and emotions. Shock, Sadness, Bitterness and even Anger, too much negativity and not enough virtues. Not enough Integrity or honour, but one word that springs to mind immediately, that so few have shown, is loyalty. One player loyalty came natural to Guilherme do Prado Raymundo, or just simply Guly.

Guly invested his faith in this club many moons ago, 4 years and one day ago to be precise, At the time the club found themselves sat in League One, the third rung of the English football ladder. He departed from far more radiant climates. Cesena, The Cavallucci Marini, simply the seahorses in English, had just gained Serie A status for the first time in 14 years. Guly walked away from the opportunity to play at some of the worlds most iconic stadiums, against some of the worlds best players, to play in the same team as Dan Seaborne and visit Hartlepool’s Victoria Park on bone chilling Tuesday nights.

He bought into Markus Liebherr and Nicola Cortese’s “5 Year Plan”, to reach the Premier League. The “Plan” was rapidly accelerated and Guly was a Premier League striker in just 2 years. 103 appearances later Guly has left the club after a 4 year spell with The Saints, earning him cult hero status with the fans. I sat down with him to discuss his time at the club.

OWTS: So Guly, after 4 fantastic seasons at the club, you’ve moved on, do miss it.

GDP: Yes, deeply.

OWTS: Who made the decision not to renew your contract? Was it Mauricio, Krueger, Les Reed?

GDP: I’m not really sure; I think it was the club as a whole. I had an incredible 4 years there but everything has to come to an end.

OWTS: What will you miss the most about playing for The Saints?

GDP: The fans, they were absolutely amazing to me! They stuck by me through thick and thin but also the players, Jose, Morgan, Corky, Jay, Ward (Prowse), Maya, Boruc, Gaston all the players who played with me in my time there, we had a fantastic group.

OWTS: Which coach did you enjoy playing under most at Southampton?

GDP: I think Adkins and Mauricio were both fantastic coaches, they both were very similar in their styles, but had very different minds. Can I have 2? Sorry.

OWTS: Adkins because you played more under him or because of his ability as a coach?

GDP: No his ability as a manager, he was fantastic.

OWTS: This Summer, was a summer of change, were you disappointed to see so many players depart?

GDP: Yes I was, we had a great foundation for something very special but thats football.

OWTS: Would you say we were in a better position now or before the transfer window?

GDP: Everything changed, players changed, managers changed and ideas changed, so its difficult to compare the two seasons. right now I can’t really say.

OWTS: Whats your thoughts on Morgan’s situation?

GDP: I speak to Morgan a lot about life, not really about football, but I think he’s happy to stay and see what happens at the club, for now.

OWTS: Whats next for your career as a footballer?

GDP: I want to still play football for as long is possible because I love it.